Sirius Black, in his dog form, moved slowly and cautiously through the depths of the Forbidden Forest.
The evening Forbidden Forest was filled with an eerie aura, with thick layers of dead leaves and branches covering the ground; every step Big black dog took produced a faint rustling sound.
As he walked, he cursed incessantly in his mind.
What on earth was going on with Hogsmeade New Town?
They actually stipulated that all pet dogs had to wear pet tags, be on a leash, and have a muzzle.
As for stray dogs, they weren't even allowed in!
He couldn't even find something to eat.
Those patrolling Aurors were despicable; they kept saying he was lucky and wanted to take him to some stray pet adoption center.
They said that once he was there, he wouldn't have to wander and would have an endless supply of dog food.
But who would have thought that once there, all stray cats and dogs had to undergo sterilization surgery?!
Fortunately, he was quick-witted and slipped away as soon as he felt something was off.
Otherwise, his lifelong reputation would have been ruined there.
Although Sirius Black cursed nonstop in his mind, he remained vigilant.
He knew that countless dangers lurked here—from Acromantula to Centaur; one wrong move could lead to trouble.
If he made too much noise, he might even alert the Professor in the school.
Therefore, his steps were extremely light, his eyes exceptionally bright, constantly scanning the surroundings.
His nose twitched slightly, sniffing out every unusual scent in the air.
As he approached the edge of the Forbidden Forest step by step, the surrounding trees began to thin, and the light gradually brightened. However, just as he was about to sigh in relief, a faint sound of footsteps came from not far away.
Slowly, a large ginger-colored cat appeared before him.
Its fur was fluffy and soft, with a strangely flat face, as if it had been flattened by running into a wall.
A small metal tag hung around its neck, looking just like the pet tags Muggles put on their pets.
Sirius stared at the cat, feeling a little taken aback.
How could there be such an ugly cat!
Big black dog bared his teeth at the large cat, trying to scare it away.
Unexpectedly, this ugly large cat not only showed no fear but instead walked towards him in a friendly manner, its eyes slightly narrowed, as if expressing some kind of affection.
"Meow—"
Big black dog froze for a moment; he seemed to understand what the large cat was trying to convey.
His body shifted, transforming back into his human form. He squatted down and asked the large cat, "Are you trying to help me?"
The large cat nodded, let out a soft meow, and then rubbed against Sirius Black's outstretched hand.
This piqued Sirius Black's interest.
This large cat was so smart; it must have some Kneazle blood.
He was finally having a change of luck, encountering a kind cat.
He rubbed the large cat's head, then carefully turned over the metal tag around the large cat's neck, on which was clearly written:
Crookshanks—Hermione Granger's Pet Cat
Certified by Hogwarts Logistics Department
Hogwarts Logistics Department?
When did the school establish a new department?
He had never heard of it.
How was it like Hogsmeade, even pets needed tags?!
Sirius Black tried to remove the tag from the large cat's neck to examine it closely, but found that the string attached to the tag was a special alchemy tool that could not be undone without a specific method.
If he pulled it slightly, the large cat would impatiently bat him with its paws.
Helpless, Sirius Black had no choice but to let go, trying his best to appear friendly.
"Crookshanks, have you seen a large rat with a missing finger in the school?"
"Meow—(Yes, I have)."
"That's great, can you catch it for me, or lead me to it?"
Crookshanks nodded, gently patted the ground with its large paws, seemingly signaling Sirius Black to follow it.
Sirius Black became excited.
His luck had truly improved.
He had originally only intended to scout the area, but he unexpectedly encountered a friendly large cat.
With the help of this large cat, Peter, that rat, would not escape his grasp.
He transformed back into his dog form and followed behind the large cat.
The ginger-colored large cat seemed to know the surroundings like the back of its paw; it leaped lightly ahead, occasionally looking back as if to confirm whether Big black dog was keeping up.
One cat and one dog, they quickly moved through the forest, gradually approaching the edge of the Forbidden Forest.
Looking at Hogwarts Castle outside the Forbidden Forest, Sirius Black's heart beat faster and faster.
It was getting dark; he could completely sneak into the Castle under the cover of night.
If he was lucky, he could catch Peter tonight.
Thinking of this, Sirius Black's steps quickened a few paces.
However, the moment he darted out of the Forbidden Forest, piercing alarm sounds immediately rang out from several large trees.
Damn it!
Why were there alarms here?!
Sirius Black reacted quickly, turning sharply and preparing to dart back into the depths of the Forbidden Forest.
His movements were extremely swift; his four limbs suddenly exerted force, and he shot forward.
But before he could run two steps, he felt his whole body stiffen, and he fell directly to the ground.
Not good!
This was the effect of Petrificus Totalus.
Could it be that this was a trap set for him?
Did that large cat deliberately lead him into a trap?
Damn it!
He was still too impulsive; he actually believed a large cat of unknown origin.
Now he was done for, completely trapped.
Just then, a high-pitched voice rang out: "Alright, it's only a Level 3 alarm. The intruder is a large dog. We'll turn off the alarm and just chase it away."
"Wait, Mary, we clearly saw Sirius Black's name on the map in the monitoring room just now. I think we should still inform Professor Swan."
"Alright, in that case, Professor Swan will know that we are working diligently and striving to maintain campus safety."
"Mary, you go find Professor Swan. I'll watch this large dog here."
Listening to the two's conversation, Sirius Black, lying on the ground, gradually realized.
He had been attacked by a House-elf?!
No wonder they could appear silently behind him.
These detestable fellows, who gave them the guts to attack a Wizard?
Sirius Black was indignant in his heart, completely forgetting that in the eyes of the House-elf, he was currently just an ordinary Big black dog.
Who was so cunning as to let House-elf maintain campus safety?
Truly knowing how to use people well; throughout Hogwarts, only these little things could Apparition, their mobility was beyond words.
Not only that, these little things were particularly good at concealment.
With careful planning against carelessness, no one could defend against them!
Wait...
Who were they going to call just now?
Professor Swan?
—That disgusting Stinky Swan?!
...